"Chiyuan Demon Venerable's cultivation is truly worthy of an ancient Demon Venerable, long in age and unfathomably deep." Linglong Immortal Venerable uttered a sigh of admiration, "I can do nothing to him either. Snatching the Hunyuan Wuji Diagram away from his calculations will likely not be an easy matter. But I do indeed need a magic treasure to suppress the destiny of the great teaching."
"Exactly, Linglong Immortal Venerable. I know your intentions; you do not wish to ascend to the Immortal Realm and be restricted. However, your great tribulation is about to arrive, and you need an immortal artifact to suppress your destiny. Otherwise, once the great tribulation strikes, your fated tribulation will be inescapable." The Heart Demon Old Man said: "As for me, I also need an immortal artifact to assist me in comprehending the final layer of the Great Heart Demon Technique, transforming into billions of incarnations, resting within the heart demons of living beings, and merging into one with the obscure Supreme Heart Demon. Chiyuan Demon Venerable also needs the immortal artifact to take revenge against the Buddha World. This time is also a massive opportunity. In the Limitless Great World, with the Lord Demon of the Eternal Demonic Palace and the eight Great Saints of the Yao race striking, the foundation of the Limitless Star Palace can be shaken. If you and I strike together, the chances are very high."
"After the immortal artifact is obtained, to whom will ownership belong?"
"Naturally, each will defer to the will of heaven and rely on their means. Whoever seizes it first, it belongs to them."
"It's a deal! I will strike when the time comes."
"Very well, but you and I can join forces during the struggle."
"Naturally. In the Limitless Star Palace, there are also immemorial great powers that have existed for over a hundred thousand years. If we clash, we might not gain the upper hand. But relying on your Great Wish Technique and my Great Heart Demon Technique, it's enough to repel any existence. Even against genuine immortals, we have the strength to put up a fight."
"Even if genuine immortals descended to the mortal realm, they could do nothing to me! What do I fear?"
Amidst Linglong Immortal Venerable's final cold snort, their conversation gradually dissipated. The Heart Demon Old Man's physical form also dissipated with it, seeping into the endless void, heading an unknown whereabouts.
Regarding this eerie old man, nobody knew whether he was a human, a demon, a yokai monster, or some other bizarre existence.
Limitless Great World, within the Holy Maiden Palace.
Over ten days passed consecutively.
Other than ordinarily taking inventory of the Holy Maiden Palace's storehouses, Fang Han hid within the Yellow Spring Diagram to cultivate the "Great Calamity Technique", no longer going underground to stir up trouble. The dharma power of his body double, "Fang Yu", also grew increasingly high recently, faintly showing the tendency to pass the Wind and Fire Great Tribulation.
This was because Fang Han had poured some cultivation methods and resources into this body double. If he wasn't afraid that making it too obvious would expose him, his elevation of "Fang Yu" might even cultivate to the ninth level of Magical Power, the Heaven and Earth Dharma Idol, right now.
The higher the cultivation of the "Fang Yu" body double, the more valued he was in the Holy Maiden Palace, making it more convenient for Fang Han to act.
On this very day, as Fang Han was cultivating and practicing breathing exercises, he suddenly moved. He saw a beam of brilliance fly swiftly over and stop in front of him, revealing a physical form; it was Han Xi.
As Han Xi partook in breathing exercises and breathed casually, Fang Han faintly saw the gate of the Immortal Realm manifesting above the other party's head. Clearly, she had advanced once again, rendering her one step closer to the Longevity Secret Realm.
"Senior Sister Han Xi!"
Fang Han hurriedly stood up.
"Not bad, your recent cultivation is very good. You are about to pass the Wind and Fire Great Tribulation." Han Xi glanced at Fang Han, "Your cultivation relies on intense progress. It seems it won't be long before you become an outstanding figure among the True Legacy disciples."
"Many thanks for Senior Sister's praise. The Holy Maiden rewarded me with three magical powers, which I have already stored into my Golden Core, and furthermore rewarded me with a heaven-grade spiritual pill. If my cultivation still didn't improve, then I would simply be as stupid as a pig. I wonder what matter Senior Sister has to instruct me with by looking for me today?" Fang Han hurriedly stood up.
"It's nothing major. But I have to take a trip to the Taihe Hall. There is a gathering there, which is an opportunity for the minor longevity board to be re-ranked. The disciples of the various palaces will exchange pointers. They are all powerhouses at the tenth level of Magical Power. If I can advance further in the ranking, I can obtain generous rewards; those present are all existences completely qualified to step into the Longevity Secret Realm. I happen to lack an attendant, so you come along with me. You can incidentally witness masters exchanging moves. It will have huge benefits for your cultivation too."
Han Xi laughed.
"Since Senior Sister lacks an attendant, then acting as Senior Sister's attendant is exactly what I wish for. It is an honorable matter." Fang Han naturally wouldn't decline. He also wanted to see what formidable rising stars the major palaces of the Limitless Star Palace had. Was it dozens of times that of the Feathered Transformation Gate?
"Alright then, let's leave right now."
While speaking, Han Xi flew out a beam of brilliance, swept Fang Han up, and flew outside the Holy Maiden Palace.
The speed of this escaping light was extremely fast, flashing like lightning through the clouds. About two hours passed, and they flew in front of a massive palace. This palace was highly ancient, lacking any magnificent decorations, being purely made of a kind of cyan stone, mottled with flaws, with moss over it and some bleak blood traces, as if stained with the blood of divine demons.
Looking at this ancient stone hall, there was a mysterious power. As soon as Fang Han approached, there was a feeling as if his very soul was shocked, as if it was a temple of antiquity that had shuttled through space-time to arrive in the mortal realm.
Furthermore, Fang Han felt that this stone hall somewhat resembled his Bridge of Helplessness.
The Bridge of Helplessness was also of this stone material.
This was the "Taihe Hall", a strange temple among the three hundred and sixty palaces of the Limitless Star Palace. The disciples in this temple were all hidden cultivators who never came out, hiding deep within the Taihe Hall. And the outer hall of the Taihe Hall was a place where disciples gathered, because due to the ancient and mottled stone material of this palace, no matter how they dueled, it could not be broken. Moreover, this stone material could absorb the power of the duels.
"Fang Han, this is the 'Stone of Manifested Gods', one of the four great wondrous stones in heaven and earth. Good heavens, they actually used it to build a palace! The material of the Bridge of Helplessness precisely has the Stone of Manifested Gods as its main framework!"
Upon seeing this ancient massive stone palace, the Taihe Hall, Yan was shocked.
"Oh? However, the concentration of the Stone of Manifested Gods utilized to build this stone hall is far less intense than that of the Bridge of Helplessness. But, if I collect this stone hall and merge it into the Eight Parts Pagoda, then the Eight Parts Pagoda can absorb sharp dharma power attacks in the future and will not disperse." Fang Han knew what the four great wondrous stones between heaven and earth were.
They were recorded in the Heavenly Dragon Secret Manual and numerous Daoist books.
They were respectively the "Stone of Life", the "Stone of the Soul", the "Stone of Manifested Gods", and the "Stone of the Heavenly Crystal".
Each of these stones was extremely hard to come by. Obtaining a small piece allowed one to refine incomparably sharp magic treasures. They held even more supreme functions for enhancing cultivation.
The Human Emperor Pen was refined from the "Stone of the Heavenly Crystal". The Bridge of Helplessness was refined from the "Stone of Manifested Gods".
However, Fang Han saw now that this Taihe Hall was built using the Stone of Manifested Gods, but the power within it was far inferior to the Bridge of Helplessness, though it was still quite substantial. After he cultivated the Immortal Body, he would refine the Eight Parts Pagoda into a mid-grade Dao artifact, and he lacked materials. If he could collect this Taihe Hall, then he likely wouldn't lack materials.
"That's natural. How can this Taihe Hall compare to the Bridge of Helplessness! Back then, the Yellow Spring Great Emperor directly plundered the planet deep in the distant starry sky inhabited by the Manifested God Sect, a vast sect comparable to the Feathered Transformation Gate, to get the Bridge of Helplessness." Yan laughed heartily: "Good, Fang Han, this Taihe Hall is in your bag again, just waiting for Chiyuan Demon Venerable and the others to make a move."
"This Taihe Hall might not be so easy to collect. Though it is not a Dao artifact magic treasure, there are some formidable figures hidden within it. Over ten days have passed now; shouldn't Chiyuan Demon Venerable and the others make their move already? Exactly how long must we wait?" Fang Han also harbored some doubts in his heart.
Although his calculations ran exceedingly deep, towards the intentions of legendary figures like Chiyuan Demon Venerable, the Lord Demon of the underground Eternal Demonic Palace, and the eight Great Saints of the Yao race, he still could not deduce them. Right now, he could only wait, hoping they would strike sooner. That time would be the moment of his true transformation.
"Fang Yu, what are you thinking about? We have arrived at the Taihe Hall. This front hall of the Taihe Hall is the gathering place. The entire front hall is condensed from the Stone of Manifested Gods. The gathering takes place in the front hall, but as for the inside, it is a restricted area that nobody can enter. It is the place where the hidden cultivators of the Taihe Hall cultivate. If you enter it by mistake, you will definitely be executed on the spot."
Han Xi warned.
"Oh, Senior Sister, I understand." Fang Han nodded repeatedly. At the same time, he saw some powerful sword lights, treasure lights, and escaping lights also galloping over one after another. The power of each sword light was forcefully at least ten million galloping fierce horses. Among them, some powerhouses actually reached fifty or sixty million galloping fierce horses!
Clearly, these people were all outstanding major disciples from the various major palaces of the Limitless Star Palace who had cultivated to the tenth level of Magical Power.
"Han Xi! You came too! Last time your ranking on the minor longevity board was eighty-ninth. I wonder if you can charge into the top fifty this time?" Suddenly, several beams of treasure light descended, revealing the physical forms of several women.
"This is Senior Sister Lin of the Profound Yin Palace, this is Junior Sister Bi of the Red Cassia Palace, this is…" Seeing these several women, Han Xi immediately called out intimately a few times, went up to welcome them, and subsequently introduced them to Fang Han.
"Oh? This is the attendant you brought? Having cultivated to the Golden Core realm with thirteen magical powers, not bad, not bad, he still has potential." A woman gave Fang Han several glances and smiled at Han Xi: "What is your relationship with this disciple? We do know the rules of the Holy Maiden Palace; male disciples are not heavily relied upon. But looking at it now, you bringing this disciple to observe today's gathering, you intend to heavily nurture him."
"Oh, his name is Fang Yu. Because he was utterly loyal and true, he received a personal reward from the Holy Maiden. Plus, having saved my life once, I naturally trust him and wish to promote him a little." Han Xi smiled: "Seeing you all looking so radiant, you definitely wish to advance several ranks on the minor longevity board this time."
"That is naturally so. For this re-ranking of the minor longevity board, the Senate is offering generous rewards. Rumor has it there are several Dao artifacts coming down as rewards." That woman named Senior Sister Lin, dressed in profound-colored garments, giving an adorable smile and exuding boundless charm, suddenly pointed at the sky: "The eldest senior brother of the Jade Emperor Palace has arrived, Han Xi! Look!"
Fang Han also naturally followed the hand and looked over. He saw a young man appear in the sky, like a great sun descending, surrounded by halos of light, emitting a boundless aura.
"Fang Han, this man!" Yan was shocked for a moment: "He actually cultivated ninety-nine magical powers! Before stepping into the Longevity Secret Realm, he cultivated ninety-nine magical powers!"